Surface projectile rocket game



May 1965 R. E. CLOCHESY 3,181,866

SURFACE PROJECTILE ROCKET GAME Filed July 22, 1963 re cAuAv'mA UnitedStates Patent 3,181,866 SURFACE PROJECTILE ROCKET GAME Ralph E.Clochcsy, 596 E. 9th St., Fond du Lac, Wis. Filed July 22, 1963, Ser.No. 296,851 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-126) This invention relates to games andmore particularly to a game of skill incorporating the use of missiles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rocket game whichwill be novel and will stimulate the imagination of a player bysimulating a rocket trip to outer space and onto various planets andwill provide recreation for the players, whether children or adults.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rocket gamewhich will have a multi-stage component which will separate at variouspoints upon the game board surface, and thus the final portion of themultistage unit will separate from the other components and.

position itself upon one of a plurality of imprinted balloons indicatingplanets, moons, etc.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rocket gamewhich will have a launcher which may be pro-aimed by the player beforethe device is activated.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a rocket game bearing theabove objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimumnumber of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient inoperation and use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a game comprising the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1 shown partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view of the launching mechanism shownremoved from the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the multi-stage rocket shown inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded bottom plan View of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing, a rocket game made in accordance with thepresent invention is shown to include a pair of parallel, side walls 12and a pair of parallel end walls 14 providing a means for retaining themissile components which will hereinafter be described. A base 16 ofrectangular configuration is fixedly secured to side walls 12 and endwalls 14, and the playing surface 18 of game 10 is provided with anarcuate step 20, 22 and 24 which separate the components when the gameis triggered by a player. A plurality of balloons simulating heavenlybodies such as planets 26 are inscribed on the rearward portion of theplaying surface 18 and are marked with numercial characters forindicating score. An opening 28 of rectangular configuration throughplaying surface 18 freely and slidably receives a rectangular extension30 fixedly secured beneath launcher 32 and extension 30 is provided witha transverse opening 34 which receives a rubber band 36 which providespower for launcher 32. The ends of rubber band 36 receive a fastener 38which is secured to the bottom of playing surface 18 and a plurality ofspaced apart teeth 40 in the bottom of extension 3t] toothingly engage aplurality of teeth 42 in the rectangular block 44 which is fixedlysecured to an elongated rectangular bar 46 which provides relief meansfor launcher 32. A pair of parallel arms 48 pivotably receive bar 46 atone end by means of a pivot pin 50 and the opposite end of bar 46 isprovided with a vertical button 52 which is fixedly secured to bar 46and extends through play- Patented May 4, 1965 provided with a pair offorwardly extending parallel pins 64 which are freely and slidably'received within a pair of spaced apartopenings 66 of a second; stagerocket 68. Rocket 68 is provided with a pair of parallel spaced apartpins 70 which are freely received within a pair of parallel openings 72of the third stage rocket 74 and a V-shaped opening 76 freely receivesa-triangular-shaped capsule 78 which is provided with an opening 88 atits apex for receiving a central pin 82 within the apex 76 of thirdstage rocket 74, and each of the stages 62, 68, 70 and the capsule. 78are assembled having a receding step-like form under theundersurface.

In operation, the player grasps the launcher 32 and urges it towardshim. The amount of thrust is controlled by the distance the launcher 32is moved toward the player, and when the launcher 32 is released, theteeth 40 of extension 30 engaging teeth 42 of block 44 secured to bar 46thus holds launcher 32 stationary until the player pushes downwardlyupon the button 52. When the player urges downwardly upon button 52, bar46 pivots upon pivot pin 50 and thus the teeth 42 of block 44 disengagefrom the teeth 40 of extension 30 and the head 58 of launcher 32 urgesthe first stage 62, the second stage 68, the third stage 74 and thecapsule 78' forward simultaneously upon release of the launcher 32 bythe player whereupon stage 62 is stopped from further forward motion bymeans of step 24. The forward motion of the launcher is arrested by thecoaction of the forward end of the opening 28 with the forwardend ofblock 30. The inertia upon the remaining components urges stage 68forward until it is stopped by step 22, and stages 74 continuesforwardly until it is stopped by step 20 and thus the capsule 78continues forward, leaving stage 74.

It will be noted that the rubber band 36 extending through opening 34 ofthe extension 30 secured beneath launcher 32 provides the entire forcefor driving all of the stages forwardly, and when the capsule 78 becomesstationary upon one of the inscribed planets 26, the numericalcharacters inscribed thereupon may be tallied for scores in the game.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letter Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a rocket game comprising, in combination, a base of rectangularconfiguration, a pair of parallel side walls and a pair of parallel endwalls carried by said base providing confinement means for a multi-stagemissile, a launcher and a playing surface provided with arcuate stepscarried by said game board, means on said missile cooperating with saidsteps of said playing surface for separation of each stage of saidmissile, a rubber band cooperating with said launcher and fastener meanscarried by said game providing thrust means for said missile, a pair ofserrated blocks carried by said game providing stationary holding meansfor said launcher and said missile, and means comprising an elongatedbar carried by said device for disengagement of said serrated blocks.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said launcher isprovided with an arcuately configurated head providing for matingengagement with the rear of the first stage of said missile and saidlauncher has one of said serrated blocks secured beneath it freelyriding in an elongated rectangular opening in the playing surface ofsaid game, the thrust of said launcher being controlled by the distancesaid launcher is moved toward the player and when said launcher isreleased by the player, the said serrated block secured to said launcherengaging the other of said serrated blocks which is secured to said bar,thus holding said launcher in position until it is desired to launchsaid missile.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein a pair of parallel armssecured beneath said playing surface receives oneend of said elongatedbar and thus provides fulcrum for said bar and a pivot pin receivedthrough said parallel arms and said end of said bar, a button at theother end of said bar for pivoting said bar when said button is urgeddownwardly by said player.

. 4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said button when urgeddownwardly by said player releases said serrations of said block on saidbar with said serrations on said block beneath said launcher and thussaid launcher is urged forwardly simultaneously urging the missileforward, said missile comprising a first stage, a second stage and athird stage, and a forward interlocking capsule, and a spring receivedaround the shank of said button springingly urging said button to itsfull upward position preparatory for another launching.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein each of said stages ofsaid missile are interconnected by a pair of parallel, spaced apartpins, said pins being received in a pair of parallel spaced apart matingopenings in the next stage, and said capsule having a triangularconfiguration is received within a triangular opening in said thirdstage, said third stage having a pin for engagement with an opening inthe apex of said capsule, thus interlocking said capsule within thefirst stage of said missile.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said launcher, whenactivated, is Stopped in its forward motion by means of the forward endof said rectangular opening in said playing surface engaging with theforward end of said one of said blocks secured to said launcher and bymeans of inertia, said first stage continues forward until the forwardedge of said first stage is stopped by an arcuate step in said playingsurface of said game, and the second stage carrying the third stage andsaid capsule is stopped by a second arcurate step and the third stage isStopped by means of a third arcuate step whereupon the capsule leavesthe opening provided for it within said third stage and positions itselfupon one of a plurality of inscribed balloons on said playing surface,said balloons indicating heavenly bodies and said heavenly bodies beingalso inscribed with numercial characters for scoring said game.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,136 11/87Freeman 273-119 395,881 1/89 Cunningham 4674 FOREIGN PATENTS 699,59712/40 Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A ROCKET GAME COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BASE OF RECTANGULARCONFIGURATION, A PAIR OF PARALLEL SIDE WALLS AND A PAIR OF PARALLEL ENDWALLS CARRIED BY SAID BASE PROVIDING CONFINEMENT MEANS FOR A MULTI-STAGEMISSILE, A LAUNCHER AND A PLAYING SURFACE PROVIDED WITH ARCUATE STEPSCARRIED BY SAID GAME BOARD, MEANS ON SAID MISSILE COOPERATING WITH SAIDSTEPS OF SAID PLAYING SURFACE FOR SEPARATION OF EACH STAGE OF SAIDMISSILE, A RUBBER BAND COOPERATING WITH SAID LAUNCHER AND FASTENER MEANSCARRIED BY SAID GAME PROVIDING THRUST MEANS FOR SAID MISSILE, A PAIR OFSERRATED BLOCKS CARRIED BY SAID GAME PROVIDING STATIONARY HOLDING MEANSFOR SAID LAUNCHER AND SAID MISSILE, AND MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATEDBAR CARRIED BY SAID DEVICE FOR DISENGAGMENT OF SAID SERRATED BLOCKS.